What Is Type 3 Diabetes?

From goodrx.com 

Key takeaways:

• Type 3 diabetes is a term that describes the effects of diabetes in the brain. 

• People with diabetes have a higher risk of dementia. For some, the risk for dementia and diabetes may both be linked to their genetics.

• Caring for your diabetes is the best way to prevent or slow the progression of Type 3 diabetes, or diabetes-related dementia.

Many people know about Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. But maybe you’ve also heard the term “Type 3 diabetes.” It’s not a new kind of diabetes, or a diagnosis you will see in your medical chart. It’s a term that describes the effects of diabetes on the brain. 

Here, we’ll talk about the connection between diabetes and dementia. And how you can lower your risks and optimize the health of both your body and your brain. 

What is Type 3 diabetes?

Most people with diabetes don’t have dementia. But they have a higher risk for it over time. People with Type 2 diabetes have a 40% to 60% greater chance of Alzheimer’s dementia. And the risk of vascular dementia is around 90% higher for people with Type 2 diabetes compared to people without diabetes.

In Type 2 diabetes, the cells in the body don’t use insulin effectively. That can lead to organ damage over time. Recent research shows that the same thing can happen to brain cells. Brain cells that have trouble using insulin don’t work as well as they should. That can result in problems with thinking and memory. Type 3 diabetes is a way to talk about the brain changes that happen for some people with Type 2 diabetes. 

Is Type 3 diabetes different from Alzheimer’s disease?

Type 3 diabetes isn’t the same thing as Alzheimer’s disease. But there’s still a connection between the two conditions.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. The biggest risk factor for Alzheimer’s is older age. But diabetes is a risk factor as well. 

There’s more to learn about the exact ways that diabetes affects brain cells. But people who have had high blood sugar for longer periods of time have a greater risk of dementia than those whose sugar levels are well managed. People who have more episodes of hypoglycaemia, or low blood sugar, also have a higher risk. 

Most studies on diabetes and dementia have looked at people with Type 2 diabetes, which is much more common than Type 1 diabetes. But one large review found that people with Type 1 diabetes may also have a 50% higher risk of dementia as they age. 

For some people, there may be a shared genetic risk for both Type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. One gene, called APOE4, is a known risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. It turns out that the same gene may affect how the brain uses insulin. 

People with Alzheimer’s disease are also more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes. Interestingly, researchers have also noticed that dementia in some people with diabetes progresses more slowly. And it looks a little different on tests like CT scans and MRIs. This subset of people often have more muscle loss and weakness, and may need to use more insulin. Research in this area may help to develop new kinds of treatment.

How is Type 3 diabetes different from other types of diabetes?

There are four main types of diabetes:

• Type 1 diabetes happens more often in children and young adults. It’s an autoimmune condition that damages the cells in the pancreas that make insulin. People with Type 1 diabetes have to use insulin every day. 

• Type 2 diabetes is more common in adults. The body’s cells don’t use insulin well, which leads to higher blood sugar. Type 2 diabetes is treated with diet, exercise, and medications that may or may not include insulin. 

• Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar that happens during pregnancy. Glucose levels may return to normal after pregnancy. But people with gestational diabetes have a higher risk for Type 2 diabetes later on.

• Other types that result from taking certain medications or having other medical conditions. These can sometimes lead to high blood sugar. Of note, diabetes that results from a pancreatic disease is sometimes called “Type 3c” diabetes. This isn’t the same as Type 3 diabetes. 

Type 3 isn’t a diagnosed form of diabetes. It’s a way to think about the insulin resistance and damage to brain cells that occur in some people with diabetes.

Can Type 3 diabetes be prevented or treated?

Yes, there are things you can do to prevent Type 3 diabetes. Caring for your diabetes lowers dementia risk.

Things you can do to lower your risks include:

• Aim for blood sugar levels within the target range: Blood glucose that is too high or too low is risky for brain cells.

• Manage blood pressure and cholesterol: These conditions often go along with Type 2 diabetes. Managing them also supports brain health.

• Eat a balanced and nutritious diet: Eating plans like the MIND diet, DASH diet, and Mediterranean diet all have evidence for both diabetes management and brain health.

• Stay active: Doing regular physical activity helps manage blood glucose and blood pressure. And it improves memory, focus, and mood.

• Ask about medications: If you have diabetes, talk with a healthcare professional about medications that might also support brain health. Some, including GLP-1s like semaglutide (Ozempic), may help lower the risk of dementia. 

• Avoid smoking and heavy alcohol use: Smoking and alcohol both increase the risk for Alzheimer’s disease. 

• Optimize your sleep: Getting at least 7 hours of quality sleep at night helps to protect brain cells.

• Keep your social connections active: People who have limited contact with others may have an increased risk of dementia.

• Get support for stress, anxiety, and depression: Treating depression can lower the risk of Alzheimer’s. And it can also improve symptoms for people who have dementia.

The bottom line

Type 3 diabetes isn’t something you’re diagnosed with. It’s a way to recognize and study the links between Type 2 diabetes and dementia. Genetics is a risk factor for both diabetes and dementia. But there are also many risk factors that can be modified. Good nutrition, an active lifestyle, and partnering with healthcare professionals can support the health of your brain and your body.

https://www.goodrx.com/conditions/diabetes/what-is-type-3-diabetes

Omega-3 fish oil shows promise against type 2 diabetes

From sciencedaily.com

Fish oil may help switch off inflammation-driven insulin resistance—even in type 2 diabetes patients who aren't overweight

Fish oil may have a surprising role in the fight against insulin resistance, especially in a form of type 2 diabetes that is often overlooked. A Brazilian study published in Nutrients found that omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil reduced glucose intolerance and weakened insulin resistance in rats that were not obese but showed a diabetes-like metabolic condition.

The work was funded by FAPESP and focused on Goto-Kakizaki rats, a well established animal model used to study non-obese type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is marked by high blood sugar that occurs when insulin, the hormone that helps move glucose from the blood into cells, does not work effectively.

Fish Oil and Insulin Resistance

Omega-3 supplements, including fish oil, are often used by people with cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. However, scientists still know much less about how these fatty acids affect insulin resistance when obesity is not involved.

That question matters because obesity is one of the strongest risk factors for type 2 diabetes, but it is not the whole story. An estimated 10% to 20% of people with type 2 diabetes worldwide are not obese. For these patients, the biological roots of insulin resistance may differ from the better known obesity-linked pathways.

In the study, researchers gave the rats fish oil at a dose of 2 grams per kilogram of body weight (equivalent to 540 mg/g of eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and 100 mg/g of docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA) three times weekly for eight weeks. By the end of the experiment, the treated animals showed lower insulin resistance, better blood sugar control, reduced inflammatory markers, and improvements in several lipid measures, including total cholesterol, LDL ("bad cholesterol") and triglycerides.

The results came from preclinical experiments, so they do not prove that fish oil will have the same effects in people. Still, the findings point to inflammation as a powerful target in non-obese diabetes and suggest that omega-3 fatty acids deserve closer study in this group.

Fish oil rich in omega-3s helped reverse insulin resistance and improve blood sugar control in non-obese diabetic rats. By calming inflammation and reshaping immune cell activity, it revealed a surprising new avenue for tackling type 2 diabetes. Credit: Shutterstock

A Shift in Immune Cells

"Our experiments involved Goto-Kakizaki [GK] rats, an animal model for non-obese type 2 diabetes. We found that insulin resistance can be reduced in these animals by modulating the inflammatory response so as to change the profile of defence cells [lymphocytes] from a pro-inflammatory state to an anti-inflammatory state. This process parallels the response of obese individuals with insulin resistance to omega-3 fatty acid supplementation," said Rui Curi, Director of Butantan Institute's Education Center, Professor of Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies in Health Sciences at Cruzeiro do Sul University (UNICSUL), and coordinator of the study.

Lymphocytes are white blood cells that help direct the adaptive immune response. When their behaviour changes, the effects can spread through the immune system and influence other cells involved in inflammation.

"In previous studies, we observed alterations in both lymphocytes and macrophages [large white blood cells that often reside in adipose tissue and are part of the innate immune system, engulfing and destroying pathogens] in non-obese rats with insulin resistance. In such cases, these cells produce more pro-inflammatory cytokines, as is central in obese people with diabetes," Curi explained.

"The main aim of the study, therefore, was to find out whether supplementation with fish oil [rich in omega-3] could reverse specific alterations in lymphocytes that had been observed in previous research. Our findings increased our knowledge of the link between inflammation and insulin resistance in non-obese animals, confirming that this is a key factor in diabetes even in the absence of obesity," said Renata Gorjão, last author of the article, and Co-Director of UNICSUL's Program of Graduate Studies in Health Sciences.

Inflammation Without Obesity

The Nutrients study, conducted during the PhD candidacy of Tiago Bertola Lobato, was part of a broader FAPESP-supported project exploring how insulin resistance develops in non-obese animals.

Curi noted that obesity is a major diabetes risk factor, but not the only one. In people who develop diabetes without obesity, one leading hypothesis is that genetic factors may play an important role. In another study published in Cells, Curi, Gorjão, and colleagues investigated whether delayed intestinal transit might also contribute to insulin resistance in non-obese individuals.

"Most obese people have chronic low-level inflammation, which is known to affect the insulin signalling pathways. Adipose tissue, which is augmented in obesity, releases pro-inflammatory cytokines that affect the insulin signalling pathways, promoting insulin resistance. In the non-obese model, this impactful characteristic of adipose tissue is absent, but systemic inflammation is present," Curi said.

The group had previously shown systemic inflammation in non-obese GK rats with insulin resistance in a study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.

Another paper from the same project reported that anti-inflammatory defences appear to break down early in non-obese GK rats with insulin resistance. Lymph nodes (part of the immune system) from newly weaned 21-day-old GK pups already showed reduced markers of regulatory T-cells (Tregs, cells with anti-inflammatory characteristics). The researchers also detected other early inflammatory changes. That work was published in FEBS Letters, a journal of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

How Omega-3s May Help

The Nutrients study suggests that fish oil may work by moving immune activity away from a damaging inflammatory pattern and toward a more protective one.

"Fish oil supplementation reversed this pro-inflammatory profile, displaying a significant anti-inflammatory effect and reducing polarization of Th1 and Th17 cells [lymphocyte subtypes that perform crucial functions in inflammation], followed by a rise in the percentage of Tregs, which can inhibit the activation of pro-inflammatory lymphocytes. Thus the action of omega-3 fatty acids on lymphocytes, modulating them from a pro-inflammatory state to an anti-inflammatory state, may have triggered the reduction in insulin resistance in these animals," Lobato said.

That immune shift is important because insulin resistance is not only a problem of sugar metabolism. It is also deeply connected to inflammation. When inflammatory signals remain elevated, they can interfere with insulin signalling and make it harder for cells to respond to the hormone.

The study adds to a growing view of type 2 diabetes as a disease shaped by both metabolism and the immune system. In this case, fish oil appeared to improve blood sugar regulation not simply by changing fat levels, but by changing the inflammatory environment that helps drive insulin resistance.

What Later Studies Add

Since the Nutrients paper was published, related human research has continued to examine how omega-3 fatty acids may influence early diabetes risk and metabolic health.

A 2025 double blind randomized controlled trial in Food and Function tested fish oil supplementation in healthy middle aged and older adults. Over 12 weeks, the fish oil groups had dose related increases in serum EPA and DHA. The researchers also reported decreases in fasting insulin and the HOMA-IR index, a common marker of insulin resistance. Fasting blood glucose trended downward across groups, and several lipid related measures also improved.

Another 2024 analysis in Nutrition and Diabetes used modelling data from 161 patients with type 2 diabetes to explore the relationship between omega-3 levels and HbA1c, a longer term marker of blood sugar control. The authors reported a dose related association and proposed that omega-3 intake could be studied in a more individualized way, while also noting that the role of omega-3s in type 2 diabetes remains debated.

Together, these studies do not settle the question of whether fish oil should be used to manage diabetes. Human evidence remains mixed, and the Brazilian study was conducted in animals, not people. However, the newer findings are consistent with the idea that omega-3 fatty acids may affect insulin resistance and inflammation in ways worth testing more carefully.

More Research Still Needed

Despite the promising findings, the researchers stressed that the results should be interpreted cautiously. Animal studies are useful for uncovering biological mechanisms, but clinical trials are needed before scientists can know whether the same strategy works in people with non-obese type 2 diabetes.

"These studies involved well-established experimental models that mimic insulin resistance in non-obese individuals. Trials in humans are needed to estimate the ideal dose and the most indicated type of omega-3 fatty acid," Curi said.

For now, the study offers a compelling clue: in diabetes, body weight may not be the only driver of insulin resistance. Inflammation can play a central role even without obesity, and fish oil may help reveal how that hidden process can be changed.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260530004626.htm

Diabetes management: Going beyond sugar control

From thestar.com.my/lifestyle

By Datuk Dr Nor Ashikin Mokhtar

The uncontrolled high blood sugar levels of diabetes can result in multiple complications in various other organs of the body. (This visual is human-created, AI-aided)

Diabetes mellitus is a lifelong metabolic disease that goes far beyond high blood sugar levels.

Over time, uncontrolled diabetes gradually – and silently – causes harm to multiple organs like the kidneys, heart, eyes, nerves and vascular network.

Because of this, more recent diabetes care has substantially transformed from more specific glycaemic control to a more extensive and holistic management strategy to maintain organ function and limit complications in the long term.

Chronic hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar levels) is the mechanism behind harmful events such as chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and gradual damage to small and large blood vessels.

The accumulation of these events eventually gives rise to serious complications such as diabetic nephropathy (kidney disease), cardiovascular diseases, neuropathy (nerve disease) and retinopathy (retinal disease).

Understanding this, therapeutic tactics in modern times target not only the rise of blood sugar, but also the events that lead to organ damage.

As result of this, there are improvements to organ protection from pharmacological progress over the last several decades.

Drugs that protect

In recent years, there have been many classes of anti-diabetic drugs known to have anti- diabetic effects far beyond the reduction of glucose levels.

SGLT2 (sodium-glucose cotransporter 2) inhibitors, including empagliflozin and canagliflozin, work via urinary glucose excretion through the kidneys.

Significantly, big clinical trials have demonstrated that these agents notably slow the development of diabetic nephropathy, reduce rates of heart failure hospitalisation, and mitigate cardiovascular death.

Their mechanisms seem to work via haemodynamics, decreased intraglomerular pressure and inflammation pathway modulation.

GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide 1) receptor agonists, including liraglutide and semaglutide, act like endogenous incretin hormones that modulate glucose metabolism.

They increase glucose-dependent release of insulin, inhibit glucagon secretion and delay gastric emptying.

Not only do they promote good glycaemic control, but they are also agents that lead to effective weight loss and reduced rates of major adverse cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke.

Their anti-inflammatory and vascular benefits, as well as anti-atherosclerotic properties, further contribute to cardiovascular protection.

Despite all these advances though, metformin remains the keystone of type 2 diabetes treatment.

Through this means of improved insulin sensitivity and impaired hepatic glucose synthesis, it achieves satisfactory initial control with a predictable safety record.

Increasing new evidence also indicates that it carries modest cardiovascular and metabolic benefits; further supporting it as a fundamental medication for diabetes.

Lifestyle interventions

Though drug treatment is vital, lifestyle changes are still the basic building block for ensuring sustainable care for diabetics and the protection of their cells.

There is an emphasis on medical nutrition therapy.

Whole foods, high fibre vegetables, lean protein and low glycaemic index (GI) carbohydrates in diets promote stable glucose and enhanced metabolic responses.

Reducing processed foods, refined carbohydrates and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption is an important intervention in lowering glycaemic variability and cardiometabolic risk.

Sufficient hydration is equally important, but frequently neglected.

Adequate fluid consumption promotes renal function, excretes glucose more effectively and supports metabolic homeostasis.

Dehydration can worsen hyperglycaemia and maintain a circle of osmotic diuresis and subsequent loss of fluid.

Regular physical activity promotes insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular fitness and weight loss.

Moderate volume aerobic exercise and resistance training provide great benefits, especially at moderate load.

Outside of mental health, exercise is good for mood, sleep and quality of life.

Weight optimisation is especially crucial in those with type 2 diabetes.

Visceral adiposity in particular, induces insulin resistance and elevates cardiovascular risk.

Even slight weight loss will result in a large enhancement in glycaemic control, blood pressure and lipid profiles.

Emerging therapies

The diabetes care sector is developing at an increasing pace.

Next-generation insulin treatments as a whole are expected to mimic more closely physiological insulin secretion.

This includes ultra-rapid acting compounds, once-weekly basal insulins and investigational glucose-responsive “smart” insulins intended to lower risk of hypoglycaemia, while increasing both convenience and adherence.

There is also a growing interest in targeting inflammation as a therapeutic strategy.

Low-grade chronic inflammation is a major source of insulin resistance and vascular complications.

Both known and novel agents, such as IL-1ß antagonists, are being investigated for their ability to affect diabetes progression.

In the future, gene-based therapies could potentially offer game-changing new approaches by altering the molecular determinants of diabetes.

Although still in its infancy, this field of study is indicative of a larger move towards precision medicine.

At the same time, digital health technologies are transforming patient care.

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems, smart insulin delivery devices and integrated digital platforms lead to more precise, personalised management.

These help patients and clinicians make real-time adjustments to therapy and also enhance outcomes by generating their data in real time.

Protecting the whole

Diabetes management has entered a new era.

No longer is the focus only on glycaemic control, it encompasses wide-ranging organ protection and the preservation of long-term health.

To ensure effective care, a comprehensive plan now needs to integrate pharmacotherapy, lifestyle programmes and advanced new technology.

Through recognising the multifactorial characteristics associated with the disease (metabolic, inflammatory, vascular etc), doctors can further mitigate the complications.

With early intervention, ongoing follow-up and involvement, people living with diabetes are able to achieve improved outcomes and quality of life.

At the end of the day, the objective of this process is no longer to manage the blood sugar, but to protect the whole body.

Datuk Dr Nor Ashikin Mokhtar is a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, and a functional medicine practitioner. For further information, email starhealth@thestar.com.my. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only, and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the reader’s own medical care. The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this column. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.

https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/health/womens-world/2026/06/01/diabetes-management-going-beyond-sugar-control#goog_rewarded

The Best Tea for Improving Insulin Resistance, Recommended by Dietitians

From eatingwell.com

Help reverse insulin resistance by sipping on a cup of this popular tea 

KEY POINTS

• Insulin resistance can cause high blood sugar and may lead to type 2 diabetes.
• Green tea may help reduce inflammation, which can improve glucose metabolism.
• Choose unsweetened green tea and add ginger, mint or citrus for additional flavour.

Did you know that there's a health condition that can increase your risk of diabetes, but often doesn't have any signs or symptoms? That condition is insulin resistance. While often overlooked, insulin resistance is becoming increasingly common. In fact, 4 out of 10 adults in the U.S. ages 18 to 44 have insulin resistance—and yet, many people don't know they have it.

The good news is that insulin resistance can be treated with lifestyle changes. One surprisingly simple change is choosing unsweetened beverages or water more often. Tea is one of our favourite unsweetened drinks. Not only is tea a popular beverage—second only to water—but tea is associated with many positive health benefits, including improvements in insulin resistance.

Our top pick for the best tea to combat insulin resistance is green tea. It's made from Camellia sinensis, the tea plant that black, white and oolong teas are also made from. While those other teas are also associated with positive health benefits, green tea has the most clinical data to support its role in combating insulin resistance. 

Researchers suspect that green tea helps reduce the risk of insulin resistance in several ways, including lowering oxidative stress, improving glucose metabolism and blocking absorption of carbohydrates. Together, this can lead to small improvements in your blood sugar.

One way the brew may benefit blood sugar management is by lowering inflammation. Inflammation and insulin resistance often coexist, so if you can tamp down inflammation you may also see improvements in insulin resistance. "Green tea is high in polyphenols, which are naturally occurring compounds in foods that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects," says Alyssa Pacheco, RD, a registered dietitian specializing in polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition associated with insulin resistance. "Green tea is particularly high in a polyphenol and catechin called epigallocatechin gallate. EGCG plays an important role as an antioxidant and may help to lower inflammation, which can contribute to insulin resistance." 

The mighty polyphenols in green tea may also have a positive influence on your gut microbiome, adds Lisa Andrews, M.Ed., RD. We know that the composition of the types of bacteria in your gut can play a role in your risk for developing insulin resistance, as well as supporting your overall health.

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Insulin Resistance Explained

As you eat meals and snacks throughout the day, your blood sugar naturally rises and falls. Digestion starts with your first bite as your body starts to break down the carbs in your food into glucose, the body's primary energy source. When that glucose enters the bloodstream after eating, your body responds by releasing the hormone insulin. Insulin acts like a key in a door, allowing glucose to enter cells for energy. 

When someone has insulin resistance, this process is disrupted, as cells become less sensitive to insulin. In response, the pancreas has to produce more and more insulin to move glucose into cells. "If your body can't produce enough insulin to keep up, it can lead to high blood sugar levels and eventually may lead to a prediabetes diagnosis," says Pacheco.

How to Brew Green Tea

For the best-tasting green tea, you'll want to steep it right so that it retains its mild flavour without becoming bitter. Steep bagged or loose-leaf green tea in hot water (170 to 185°F is ideal) for 3 minutes. Enjoy a warm mug or chill it in the refrigerator and serve over ice. 

Our Expert Take

If you have insulin resistance or an increased risk for developing diabetes, take heart that it can be managed with diet and lifestyle choices. Optimize your hydration by choosing beverages free of calories and sugar, such as unsweetened tea, more often. We love green tea, in particular, since it has the most research to support its unique role in improving insulin resistance.

https://www.eatingwell.com/tea-for-insulin-resistance-11951790